Lightning Is the Only Way

Was Gravis angry at Ferris? No.

Was Gravis annoyed by Ferris? A little bit.

Was Gravis envious of Ferris? Hell yes!

This guy managed to comprehend three entire Laws in just a bit more than a year. Was this normal for an Emperor? Was this what the Empress and the Grand Elder meant with that Emperors had way more experience with understanding Laws? Was the gulf between Gravis and an Emperor truly that vast?

Gravis had been delighted with his progress, but when compared to Ferris, his progress was laughable. This guy picked up Laws like they were some coins lying on the road.

"How are you comprehending so many Laws, Ferris?" Gravis asked helplessly.

"I don't know," Ferris said with a heartfelt smile of excitement, his tail wagging. "I just look at everything and realize that I have seen similar things in the past. Then, everything comes just naturally, and I know what I should pay attention to."

Gravis felt helpless when he heard that and sighed again. "It sounds like you have experienced a lot of things, Ferris," Gravis said.

Ferris fell into thought. "I guess I did," he said. "I've been a level one Emperor for over 3,000 years by now. I guess it's normal for me to have seen a lot of things."

Gravis nearly dropped the stone he was holding. "You've been a level one Emperor for over 3,000 years?" he asked in shock.

Ferris nodded. "Yep," he said with a smile. "I've fully committed myself to fire for the past 3,000 years and have not comprehended many other Laws. Man, in just the last year, I managed to comprehend more Laws than in the past 500 years. My talk with you has helped me immensely!"

'500 years with only one or two Laws,' Gravis thought with sympathy. 'This must've been hard for Ferris. No wonder he's so excited. So, all the Laws he has understood in the past year were due to an accumulation for nearly 3,000 years.'

Gravis looked at the sky with a forlorn expression. 'I can't even imagine not comprehending a single Law for over a hundred years. This must be horrible.'

Ferris noticed Gravis' forlorn expression and cocked his head to the side. "Why are you looking at the sky so heartbroken?" he asked innocently.

Gravis sighed again when he heard Ferris. "To be honest with you, I imagined myself in your shoes. Not understanding a single Law for a hundred years sounds terrifying. It would be like my path forward was cut off."

"Psh," Ferris made a sound like thinking about something like that was idiotic. "How is that terrifying? It's normal! Well, maybe not that long, but long times are normal. Emperors want to become more powerful, so they try to understand the relevant Laws to their Battle-Strength. Learning one thing deeply is harder than learning the basics of new things," Ferris commented.

"I'm not so sure about that, Ferris," Gravis answered.

"What do you mean?" Ferris asked with curiosity.

"Didn't you say that you learned something about fire by understanding another Law?" Gravis asked. "Isn't learning a deeper Law just more knowledge? Some of the knowledge is probably harder to decipher, but that may only be so because some of the knowledge is less prevalent in the category associated with it."

Ferris furrowed his brows in thought. "Could you explain?" he asked without thinking for long.

said as he showed one of the rocks in his hands. "It's made up of over four different materials. I can try to understand the rock, but it's harder for me to learn everything about this rock when I only look at it in its pure form. Wouldn't it be easier to learn the workings of the materials that make

meant that," Ferris said. "Yeah, I mean, that's how Laws

"Yes, but what if this rock

was confused

and continued his explanation. "Think about the Law of Steam. It's

Ferris nodded with enthusiasm.

create steam. Therefore, to understand the Law of Steam, you need to understand the fire and water components, just like this rock is made up of different components. If you only look at steam from the standpoint of water, you miss the parts

BOOOOOOOM!

body. Gravis was thrown into the distance as parts of his scales melted down, burning his flesh. If

gigantic fire pillar.

thrown away a couple of kilometers as he created a crater in the mountain. Yet, instead of dealing with his situation, he looked towards Ferris in the middle of the imposing

he understood that Ferris must have comprehended an important Law. Had his words made Ferris realize a

fire pillar vanished, and Ferris arrived in

Ferris shouted with excitement. "Man, you're really a lifesaver,

bitterly. "I guess

and not just any Law! I've been at this Law for the past 2,500 years! This was exactly the Law that has

it a level

After all, if I had advanced without understanding another one, I would have become a bit below average

with interest. Level two Laws were

just shoot out in a straight line seems too predictable. Additionally, controlling fire takes a lot of Energy. In my harder

method to make fire manipulate itself without me needing to control it,"

control itself?" Gravis asked. "How

shouted. "How would that even work? I tried a lot of things, and I've understood some Laws that

Ferris said, his excitement back as he smiled at Gravis, "you said your words, and boom, I immediately knew what I had to do! And it just so happened that the Law I've understood just

Gravis said. "I haven't asked about which Law you managed to

uttered. "Right, you don't know. Some weeks ago, I just started looking at everything with interest, and one thing has interested me specifically. What makes

I was thinking about previously?' Gravis

living stuff. These plants are a huge help. Additionally, I looked at some weaker

couple of times in surprise. "You found the answer

nodded. "Yep! It's

as he furrowed his brows. "How did you come

legs. "Well, I've been pretty bored the last 3,000 years. So, I might have had some offspring. Nearly all my offspring are dead by now, but who cares? I can always

uncomfortable with how

from a different perspective. So, I managed to comprehend a Law regarding the Soul. I don't think I've ever heard of this Law, but I would call it the Law

asked with furrowed

like the soul shouldn't be that easy to understand. It seems more

to be a level one Law. After all, he has obviously combined this Law with the Law of Fire Manipulation. So, I guess he managed to infuse his fire with a soul. Like that, his fire would become alive, would have its

of the Law of Living